I vividly remember the excitement I had when I took my first step on Queen’s campus in 2022. I had worked incredibly hard during my A-Levels and was finally starting a great degree at a great university. Here are some of my reasons for choosing Queen’s, along with some handy advice to aid your decision making!

Queen’s has a great student satisfaction rating

Belfast was voted as one of the friendliest cities in the UK and Northern Ireland has the lowest student living costs in the UK. Queen’s has a stunning campus and there is plenty to do in the city, with students enjoying great nights out, food, and live music!

Belfast is the UK’s most affordable student city (Natwest Student Living Index 2024)

I enjoy going out, but I don’t want to spend a fortune in one night. Studying at Queen’s means I can take advantage of everything the city has to offer, without compromising on my weekly budget. 

Teaching excellence

Queen’s is ranked in the top 10 in the UK for several subjects, including Dentistry, Pharmacology and Pharmacy, and Social Work, amongst others. To study at a world class institution with top teaching facilities influenced my decision making when narrowing down my options.

Queen's is number 1 in the UK for Medicine - Teaching Quality (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)

As a medical student, research opportunities were also factored into my decision. Queen’s is part of the prestigious Russell Group, a group of 24 leading UK universities with a focus on research. Queen’s equips its students with the skills needed to generate a research output and is an incredible university to consider applying to!

Here are a couple of handy tips for making your choices and some things to consider:

Accommodation costs

This will be one of your biggest expenses and was the first thing I considered when making my UCAS decision. Belfast is a much more affordable city to live in when compared to other UK cities, and Queen’s accommodation offers additional perks like free off-peak membership to the PEC to those choosing to rent with Queen’s!

It is £174 per month cheaper for student living costs in Northern Ireland compared to the UK average (Save the Student National Student Money Survey 2023)

Diversity

Belfast is an incredibly diverse city, with many international students from countries including Malaysia, India, China and more! I’ve made some incredible friends from all around the world and it’s amazing to learn more about different cultures!

Ultimately, I’m incredibly glad to be studying at Queen’s and would highly recommend checking out the Queen’s website to book a campus tour if you’re struggling to decide. Seeing Queen’s campus and everything on offer, alongside hearing current student testimonials on Queen’s social media pages is a great way to learn more about the university! All the best!

Find out more

Also by Radhika: Things Not to Worry About Before Coming to University

Also by Radhika: Five Things I’ve Learnt From My First Year of Medical School

Undergraduate study at Queen's

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Radhika Gupta Medicine | Undergraduate Student | Derry, Northern Ireland Hi! My name is Radhika, I’m 19 years old and originally from Derry. I’m currently a third-year medical student and so far, I’ve been loving my course and time in Belfast! I like to spend weekends exploring the city with my friends and trying to find good places to eat/drink. My hobbies include photography, reading and yoga! This year I’m trying to become more involved in university activities, so you may see me around campus as I’m a student ambassador, plus I also love spending time in the Students' Union with my friends in the evenings! I’m a member of various medical societies like SWOT and WOMED, and also recreational societies like Chess and Arts!